5th Sunday of the Year

 

LIGHT for the World

... YOU!

 

This morning in all the readings at Holy Mass, we heard that the effect and the fruit of all our acts of charity is light.

And throughout the books of the Bible, we come across this idea or image of light as being always something by which we can see the truth, see in truth. 

Light and truth, then, go together ... and when we meet Jesus, at last, in the Gospels ... and when we are aware of His nearness to us in our own lives - we know that Light and Truth are a Person:

the One who is our God.

 

So, God who is Light, is also the Creator of all light, and in this morning's Gospel, Jesus said to His disciples:

 

"You are the light of the world ...

No one lights a lamp

to put it under a tub ..."

 

These words are very striking and powerful if we put God in the place of the "one" who "lights a lamp," because in doing so,

you see ...



 

YOU are the lamp He has lit - YOU are the light of the world ...  God did not 'light' you up so as to hide you under a tub!  God created you to shine, and to shine for everyone.

 

So, it seems that in a world where belief in God is not often highly regarded and is at times even scorned - for us who believe, Jesus is setting before us an invitation and a challenge. 

 

 

We are to believe fearlessly and unashamedly in the Light - Light that is Him, and also Him in us.  We have been so filled with Him that He cannot be contained in us.  He dares us to know, to believe and to accept, that despite all the sin and imperfections, He has made us to shine for His glory:

for His love embraces all our weakness

and fear and makes us to shine ever more

brightly,

offering to us and to everyone around us life, hope and divine love.

 

 

      

 May the LORD grant us to dare

     to do and to be

        goodness:

     in a world that seems

     overwhelmingly attracted

      to darkness and to death.

 

     May the Light who is Christ,

     the Light in us who is Christ,

    grant us to see the way of Truth

    and hold fast to His promise

     of light and life without end.